Confection



` Nov. 21, 1939. M. N. DODGE 2,181,109'

CO'NFECTION Filed March 27, 1939 .Ebene Conf/ver Wauw/aff .Zhi/622550Z WWWLM Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES vPATEN'I oFFlcE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a confection.

As well known, popcorn is at its best immediately after its preparation and should be eaten within a short time thereafter, otherwise it will 5 lose its desirable crispness and crunchiness. The deterioration of popcorn is due to the absorption of moisture from the atmosphere which causes it to become stale and tough, losing its palateness. The popcorn of the trade is usually bought at the place of its preparation or in stores in the latter of which it is handled in airtight containers. By reason of the bulk of the popcorn such containers are large and involve a considerable expense considering the low price of the popcorn itself.

Attempts have been made to coat popcorn with chocolate and while such coating would prevent access of air it does not prevent the popcorn from losing its crispness for the reason that chocolate contains an oil which is absorbed by the ruptured starch cells of the popcorn.

I have discovered a method whereby the popcorn may be chocolate coated and still retain indenitely its crispness and crunchiness. I effect this result by covering the fresh popcorn with an edible coating or glaze which seals the grains of the popcorn against access of air and which is notv aiected by the oil naturally contained in chocolate, and then dipping or otherwise coating the popcorn thus treated with 45 Fig. 4 an te of chocolate-dipped popcorn; and Fiantehavingtheshapeofabar. Itakefreshlypreparedpopcornanddipthe same in cooked candy syrup -to which various 5 flavors andvarious candy and dried fruits includinghardcandiesorchoppednutsmaybeadded. Candysyrupisprepamdbyboilingsugarwitha small quantity of Water until more or less of conversion of the sugar has taken place so that on cooling and hardening of the candy syrup no recrystallization of the sugar will take place. The grains of the popcorn thus coated with a thin 5 layer of candy syrup are allowed to cool and dry and then are dipped in chocolate to provide a coating.

The final product may consist of individual grains of popcorn chocolate coated in the manner 10 described or may be caused to aggregate in aggregates or shaped into any desired form such as balls or bars.

While my invention is primarily intended for the treatment of popcorn, it will be obvious that 15 it is also applicable to other puffed cereals such as rice and wheat which, as well known, have their starch cells ruptured and expanded by the sudden release of high pressure steam. The glossy skin of the popcorn grain on heating is 20 ruptured by the sudden release and expansion of the steam generated within which ruptures the skin and puis" the starch grains.

In place of the candy syrup the popcorn may be coated with some other edible coating which 25 prevents access of air to the starch grains and is unaffected by the oil and moisture of the chocolate.

Various changes may be made' in the steps of the method by those skilled in the art without 30 departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A method` of treating a puied cereal comprising coating the same with an edible liquid capable of hardening on coating to provide a seal against the atmosphere and dipping the same in chocolate.

2. A method of treating puffed popcorn comprising coating the same with candy Symp, allow 4g ing the coating to harden, and dipping the popcorn in chocolate.

3. A confection comprising a puied cereal having an exterior coating of chocolate and a glaze-like coating of hardened candied syrup interposed between the surface of the puied cereal and the chocolate coating, whereby the coating of the candied syrup prevents access of airtothepuedcerealandthelnnfedcerealis unaffected bythecilandmoistureof thechoooso late coating.

MARY N. DODGE. 

